Now that the Championship action will be paused for several weeks, teams have a decision to make on how they want to approach the international break. Do they prioritise rest, or do they prioritise match sharpness?
Over the past couple of months, Paul Heckingbottom has been practically begging for the world cup break to arrive due to the number of injuries United are currently dealing with.
Apart from those participating in international friendlies and the world cup, Heckingbottom has given the rest of the team a week off to spend time with their family on holiday.
Paul Heckingbottom has said on numerous occasions that United have been extremely unlucky with the amount of injuries suffered. This break allows those players to catch up.
After stating that the Blades need this world cup break, United’s boss has confirmed that they will be playing a number of behind-closed-doors friendlies to keep up match sharpness and fitness.
But is this necessary practice, considering the sheer amount of players out injured?
My Verdict
I understand that maintaining fitness is important, but for a team like us that have 10 players injured, surely rest needs to be prioritised during this break.
Heckingbottom has been waiting for this break in the season for quite a while now.
Instead of playing behind closed-door friendlies and risking even more injuries, would it not make more sense to play against our development team knowing that they won’t be overly aggressive?
Do You Think That Playing Behind-Closed-Door Games Is Necessary During The Break?
Absolutely - Prioritise Match Sharpness
It's A No From Me - Prioritise Rest
